WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.080 God, thank you so much for giving us yourself. 00:00:07.240 --> 00:00:08.500 God, we love you so much. 00:00:08.580 --> 00:00:16.740 We long to love you and to know you and to walk with you even more intimately and fully and wholly in every part of our lives. 00:00:17.620 --> 00:00:21.379 Lord, as we open your word and seek to listen to what you're saying, 00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:26.440 there's so many competing messages. 00:00:27.019 --> 00:00:29.580 There's so much noise in our lives. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:30.760 In my life. 00:00:31.500 --> 00:00:32.979 Lord, would you silence the noise? 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:41.219 Would you remove the distractions, whether it's just the busyness of life, the stresses, or even if there's just spiritual stuff going on? 00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:45.600 Would you just silence the distractions and help us to hear your word? 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:53.519 Lord, as I speak, would you give us discernment to reject the stuff that is just me? 00:00:53.520 --> 00:01:01.620 But would you also give us the humility and the help by your Holy Spirit to embrace all that is true from you? 00:01:02.700 --> 00:01:08.240 Lord, would you shine through these heavy words we're going to hear today? 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:16.539 As we deal with difficult subjects, would you, in your kindness and your love and your mercy, minister to us, your people. 00:01:16.979 --> 00:01:18.419 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:01:18.420 --> 00:01:18.620 Amen. 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:18.680 Amen. 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:19.040 Amen. 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:19.580 Amen. 00:01:19.580 --> 00:01:19.760 Amen. 00:01:19.780 --> 00:01:20.180 Amen. 00:01:20.180 --> 00:01:20.260 Amen. 00:01:20.260 --> 00:01:20.340 Amen. 00:01:20.340 --> 00:01:21.060 Amen. 00:01:21.060 --> 00:01:21.100 Amen. 00:01:21.100 --> 00:01:21.460 Amen. 00:01:22.600 --> 00:01:22.660 Amen. 00:01:22.660 --> 00:01:24.000 Amen. 00:01:24.140 --> 00:01:25.400 Amen. 00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:29.560 have some Bibles you can borrow right over here. I also want to say a really big thank you to Neil 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:37.020 Stevens, who has joined our church as a pastor, joined the pastoral team. He served as a senior 00:01:37.020 --> 00:01:42.460 pastor, I think several different churches over the years, and it's such a gift to all of us to 00:01:42.460 --> 00:01:48.120 have him here at the church, to help lead the services, as well as to minister to our congregation 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:52.000 and congregational care, and in so many different ways. I was just so ministered to him at the eight 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:57.239 o'clock, ministered by him. He ministered to me at the eight o'clock service in such a precious way. 00:01:57.579 --> 00:02:02.739 I just am so blessed to get to work with you today and in the future. So if you have Bibles, Amos chapter 00:02:02.739 --> 00:02:10.439 two, we're going to be, the text that was read earlier, it was verses four through 16, and today 00:02:10.439 --> 00:02:16.020 we're going to be focusing on verses six through 16. Last week we began our summer series through Amos. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:21.960 George began his message with a video clip of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous I Have a 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:27.060 Dream speech, and I've loved that speech since my parents showed it to me when I was a little boy, 00:02:27.540 --> 00:02:32.900 and whenever I see that speech, and it's got the famous passage from Amos where Martin Luther 00:02:32.900 --> 00:02:38.260 King Jr. is so epically in his voice that I can't even imitate, said, let justice roll down from the 00:02:38.260 --> 00:02:43.700 mounds, and it's just, it's awesome. A lot of us were there last week, and we watched it. From when I was a 00:02:43.700 --> 00:02:49.140 boy to this day, when I see that, like I'm hearing it, I'm seeing it as if I'm one of the people there, 00:02:49.139 --> 00:02:54.899 as if I'm part of his movement, as if I would have been alive at that time, I'm sure I would have 00:02:54.899 --> 00:03:00.079 not forgotten to renew my passport like I did this past month, and I would have been there. I would 00:03:00.079 --> 00:03:07.639 have crossed the border. I'd be standing with him, standing for freedom. We often think of ourselves 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:14.019 as being those champions. Now, in Amos, in the passage that George is dealing with last week, 00:03:14.020 --> 00:03:22.420 Amos is, he's speaking these words about 800 years before Jesus, around 800 BC, and he's a member of 00:03:22.420 --> 00:03:27.740 the northern kingdom. At this point, Israel had been divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and 00:03:27.740 --> 00:03:34.240 Judah. Judah was where Jerusalem and the temple was, and those two, they were all the people of Israel, 00:03:34.600 --> 00:03:41.500 the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah, but they were at war with each other. They were enemies 00:03:41.500 --> 00:03:47.560 at this point. And in the opening words to this book of Amos last week, George, the part he preached 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:53.039 on, there are these different pronouncements of judgment to the various countries surrounding 00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:59.039 Israel and Judah. Some of them were their historic enemies. These were people who'd been a thorn in the 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:05.479 side of the people of Israel for centuries. And so if you were the people of Israel and Amos is speaking 00:04:05.479 --> 00:04:12.340 to you, prophesying the judgment, you'd be so stoked. And that's not even a bad thing. Like, if God 00:04:12.340 --> 00:04:17.300 all of a sudden sent a prophet into this room and he prophesied that God was going to, God had heard 00:04:17.300 --> 00:04:24.219 the cries of the victims of ISIS, of the Yazidis and the Christians and the various, like, Muslim 00:04:24.219 --> 00:04:29.300 minorities there, and that he was going to crush ISIS, I think that a lot of us would be like, God, 00:04:29.379 --> 00:04:33.159 thank you so much. And that's how the people of Israel were responding to this. They're hearing 00:04:33.160 --> 00:04:37.880 these enemies, those enemies. And then God also speaks of the contemporary enemies, the ones who 00:04:37.880 --> 00:04:42.920 they were at war with right then. And you're like, yes, do your thing, smash them. This is justice. 00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:48.160 And then in the passage we looked at today, we're looking at today, God then turns his attention to 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:52.920 the kingdom of Judah. And even though a lot of these would be, like, family members of the people in the 00:04:52.920 --> 00:04:57.920 north, these two Jewish kingdoms are at war with each other. So again, you'd actually be hearing, like, 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:05.060 yes, that is awesome. And then Amos, God through Amos, turns his attention to the northern kingdom, 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:13.160 the one who Amos is prophesying to. And he says, you are just as evil, you are just as unjust, 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:19.759 and judgment is coming on you if you don't turn, if you don't repent. And as I've been pouring over 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:26.620 this chapter two, what we're looking at here, what we see in this passage is that the people of 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:31.439 Israel had become so complacent, they'd become so confident in their being the people of God, 00:05:31.899 --> 00:05:37.920 that they couldn't see the wickedness and the perversion and the injustice that they had become 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:44.300 complacent to or even active contributors to in their lives. At the time, it was much like today, 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:49.220 where the northern kingdom of Israel, these are God's people, and the middle class was doing very 00:05:49.220 --> 00:05:54.139 well. They were very involved in spiritual activity. It was very comfortable. And they were very 00:05:54.139 --> 00:05:58.659 confident that they were just blessed because they're God's people, and they were taking it for 00:05:58.659 --> 00:06:05.120 granted. And now it's just a surprise punch to the face as God has just been, like, pronouncing 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:11.279 judgment to all their enemies, and they're so stoked. And God says, you're just as unjust. And so as we go 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:18.279 through this today, it's going to be heavy, but we're going to look at four different categories of sins, 00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:24.779 of transgressions, of these things that are of injustice that God is addressing in the kingdom 00:06:24.779 --> 00:06:31.299 of Israel, and that I believe he is still speaking to us today. So the first one you see in verse 6, 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:36.759 because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, 00:06:37.219 --> 00:06:43.579 those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the 00:06:43.579 --> 00:06:48.979 afflicted. So the first thing that Amos is addressing is this exploitation of the poor. 00:06:49.379 --> 00:06:54.620 Quite literally, the buying and the selling of human beings as if they're things. A trampling on 00:06:54.620 --> 00:06:59.799 the poor. And so I've been actively praying. I know there's so many different avenues that we can 00:06:59.799 --> 00:07:05.919 explore in this, but what are some ways that we, as the people of God today, might be like the people 00:07:05.919 --> 00:07:10.759 of Israel then and are doing this? Well, one would be the issue of human trafficking, quite literally, 00:07:10.759 --> 00:07:15.379 the buying and selling of people. There are more than 27 million victims of human trafficking today. 00:07:15.879 --> 00:07:20.259 And what does that victimization look like? Well, in some cases, it's prostitution. In others, 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:24.439 it's the development of products that you and I enjoy. It's the development of products that you 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:31.339 and I, as I know we're various demographics here, I'd definitely be on the, I'm not, for me to be able 00:07:31.339 --> 00:07:35.779 to buy good products, they have to be cheap. Let's just say that. So this morning, this morning, 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:40.319 as part of my morning routine, I shaved my face. The shaving cream I use, it's the stuff that I can 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:45.399 afford at Loblaws. It does the job, I think. Well, that stuff, just like the shaving cream 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:50.379 that probably almost anyone else here uses, guy or girl, is most likely made by victims of human 00:07:50.379 --> 00:07:55.360 trafficking. That's not controversial and not some crazy act. That's just the case. Look it up. You 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:59.980 can Google it. I don't even mind if you Google it right now. You can verify the facts, multitasking. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:07.600 A lot of the bathroom products we use are made by victims of human trafficking, and that's why 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:12.600 they're affordable for us to buy. A couple years ago, I turned my attention to trying to make sure 00:08:12.600 --> 00:08:16.879 I wasn't contributing to this stuff, and I was a student, and I just felt like I couldn't afford 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:21.220 this stuff, the free-made stuff, and I went back to buying the products that you most likely are 00:08:21.220 --> 00:08:25.700 buying. And this is true for some of our clothing items. It's true for some of the coffee we drink. 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:32.120 You and I are living the comfortable life we're living partly on the backs of victims of human 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:37.820 trafficking, on the buying and selling of people. Now, how do we make sure that we're not, by our 00:08:37.820 --> 00:08:43.580 purchases, giving money to people perpetuating human trafficking? That's not something, just as 00:08:43.580 --> 00:08:47.879 I was preparing this week, I thought maybe I can just toss my shaving cream and grab another one. 00:08:48.179 --> 00:08:53.539 I didn't want to do a token. I didn't want to do tokenism. I want to take the time in my life, 00:08:53.860 --> 00:08:58.200 and I hope that we as a community can actually talk about this stuff amongst ourselves, even over 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:02.379 coffee today. Like, it doesn't just have to be talking about how the Blue Jays are doing and how 00:09:02.379 --> 00:09:07.800 we're sad that their winning streak descended. Why don't we talk about this stuff? How can we actually 00:09:07.800 --> 00:09:13.220 go and explore how we cannot be contributing to human trafficking? This is what Amos is calling us 00:09:13.220 --> 00:09:18.500 to do, that we would not be benefiting and participating in the selling of the righteous for 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:23.560 silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. But he's not just talking about human trafficking. He's also 00:09:23.560 --> 00:09:27.940 talking about the exploitation of the poor, marginalizing these people, and all this type of stuff. 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:32.140 And in light of our, we're going to be showing the Martin Luther King Jr. clip a number of times 00:09:32.140 --> 00:09:35.560 throughout the summer. And in light of that, I think it's important for us to ask the question, 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:42.900 are we, is racism a still present issue today? Is it part of our lives? I don't know about your life, 00:09:42.980 --> 00:09:48.000 but I have been at these pastor meetings, legit, I've been at these pastor meetings where we have 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:53.580 people from various ethnicities there, and every single pastor who prays or is invited to do a 00:09:53.580 --> 00:09:58.460 devotional, our pastors who, like me, are white. And that we have pastors from Nigeria and from the 00:09:58.460 --> 00:10:03.920 Congo, and we have African Canadians and all sorts of people who aren't invited to speak. Now, there 00:10:03.920 --> 00:10:08.580 might be a number of variety of reasons for that. Perhaps it's just statistically, it's just a 00:10:08.580 --> 00:10:14.080 statistical anomaly that it just happened to be all of us who are white. But at least I should be 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:18.000 asking the question, at least we should be asking the question, why is it that it was all the white 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:24.559 pastors who were the ones who spoke? I know almost nothing. I'm a child. I'm honored to get to preach 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:29.639 to you, but why am I invited to speak at these things? And you have these incredible Congolese 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:33.600 pastors in the city who are doing incredible work, and they're not being asked to speak at these 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:39.100 things. Is it racism? I actually don't know. But this week, as I was pouring over Amos, I began to 00:10:39.100 --> 00:10:44.720 ask that question. And so I called up a friend of mine, an African Canadian. I called her up. I'm like, 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:49.500 hey, I don't even know how to talk about this. Like, I'm not an expert on this. I don't even 00:10:49.500 --> 00:10:53.100 really know, is the term African Canadian the right term to use? Is that offensive? But I was like, 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:57.639 hey, have you experienced racism in this city? And she was telling me stories that she's had to put 00:10:57.639 --> 00:11:01.440 up with in high school and university and even in job interviews. And so we were chatting about it. I 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:07.360 said, hey, I'm going to be preaching on Amos. And how can our church begin to kind of try to address 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:11.779 this stuff? And so we talked about it, and we talked about whether or not I should, you know, ask her or 00:11:11.779 --> 00:11:16.519 someone else, someone from a congregation, maybe as part of this sermon to share like three minutes 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:22.120 of their experience of dealing with race issues in Canada. I'm not talking about with Donald Trump. 00:11:22.259 --> 00:11:26.439 I'm talking about Canada. And we talked about it. I said, you know what? This is my fear, and this is 00:11:26.439 --> 00:11:31.279 why I will not ask you to come speak three minutes as part of the sermon. Because I think that if, 00:11:31.819 --> 00:11:36.579 I don't know about you, if I had her come and share three minutes of this, then I would feel like, 00:11:36.580 --> 00:11:42.840 hey, Church of the Messiah, we just made space for a marginalized voice. We just, we got to hear, 00:11:43.020 --> 00:11:47.480 and like, we're a church with a difference. We gave three minutes to hearing about the reality of 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:52.700 racism in Ottawa. And then we could just move on with our lives. I don't want tokenism. I don't think 00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:59.020 God wants tokenism. I actually think he hates it. God wants us to change. God wants his church, 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:06.340 his people. You see it right here. Why are you trampling the head of the poor? God wants us to 00:12:06.340 --> 00:12:14.360 actually change and do something about this. The issues that she has as a black Canadians had to 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:22.420 face, it's not just like little, like she's facing legit, legit like marginalization, like legit like 00:12:22.420 --> 00:12:29.560 abuse, racism in the city. But as you explore, what does it look like in Canada? Like we see it 00:12:29.560 --> 00:12:35.940 every day in the news these days about America. But what does it look like in Canada? I don't have 00:12:35.940 --> 00:12:42.260 answers. And that's okay because we as a church, I think if we're going to make a difference together, 00:12:42.260 --> 00:12:47.040 I think we should look for the answers. So, but one of the areas we need to look at is the reality 00:12:47.040 --> 00:12:53.360 of First Nations Canadians. Like one of my sisters was serving on the west coast of Vancouver Island, 00:12:53.500 --> 00:13:01.000 the First Nations Reserve, and the suicide rate was in the high 80s for teens. Almost all their teens 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:05.480 are committing suicide. It's almost 100%. Some friends in the neighborhood I've been living in, 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:11.500 they're from a reserve in Canada, in Ontario, where the sexual abuse rate for the kids is almost 100% 00:13:11.500 --> 00:13:16.360 of them are victims of sexual abuse. Where they don't have access to clean drinking water in Canada. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.700 We're going overseas, we're going to Mexico, and we're doing these cool missions trips where we like 00:13:20.700 --> 00:13:26.080 paint an orphanage building or something. But in our own country, we have third world conditions. 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:31.780 Now, why is that? Is that just as simple as racism? Is it because that maybe there are some in, 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:37.200 even in the First Nations governance structures that are actually where there's some corruption? 00:13:37.900 --> 00:13:46.500 There's corruption in governments. I'm sure there is. There's all sorts of explanations. But I think we 00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:53.360 need to at least be asking the question, is our complacency part of it? Are we, even if it's because 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:59.240 of corruption, not because of racism? Even if it's, well, let us as a people, let us as God's people 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:06.379 in Canada, get on our knees and pray, God, we're not satisfied with the whole demographic of Canada 00:14:06.379 --> 00:14:17.060 being so broken and marginalized and truly like such poverty. It should embrace God's heart. We know that. 00:14:17.059 --> 00:14:23.119 Let it break our hearts. Let it break our hearts. There's so many different avenues which we can 00:14:23.119 --> 00:14:30.339 explore for the reality of the poor being crushed in Canada. But the last one I want to mention before 00:14:30.339 --> 00:14:39.079 we move on, that is an issue, is a reality in every single church in Canada, in all of our communities, 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:45.180 in all of our friend groups, and most likely in all of our families, is that of abortion. 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:52.040 You know that 90% of children with Down syndrome are aborted in Canada. When I was a boy in Sunday 00:14:52.040 --> 00:14:56.080 school, like every Sunday school class, whatever church, my family moved around the country a bunch, 00:14:56.160 --> 00:14:59.720 went to different churches, and in every class, there'd be a child with Down syndrome. 00:15:00.259 --> 00:15:04.580 They were such a delight. They were like, they're always my best friend. It was just so sweet. 00:15:04.580 --> 00:15:09.480 My little siblings who are in Sunday school right now don't have friends with Down syndrome. 00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:14.800 Not because there are no babies with Down syndrome in Canada, but because 90% are aborted. 00:15:16.060 --> 00:15:22.240 Now, I discovered that not by heading off to the marches at Parma Hill, but I used to volunteer 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:27.860 at a crisis pregnancy center in Ottawa. And there I got to see, I got to work with, it was such a 00:15:27.860 --> 00:15:33.820 privilege to work with some of these women who had abortions for very real, for very rough, 00:15:33.820 --> 00:15:39.960 for very meaningful reasons. Very, like, it wasn't, it wasn't for very real reasons. 00:15:41.180 --> 00:15:49.060 How, how, how did these women not find locally, in our city, the help they needed, or the truth 00:15:49.060 --> 00:15:53.760 they needed, or the, the friends they needed, in order to be in a place where they wouldn't 00:15:53.760 --> 00:15:58.840 feel pressured to make that decision? Were they given the resources? Were they given the truth? 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:03.500 Like, they're, they're being taught in school that, that a pre-born baby is just, just a blob 00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:08.300 of tissue. Were they being, was anyone, was anyone standing up for the, for the innocent 00:16:08.300 --> 00:16:12.040 lives, for the innocent blood that was shed? Tell them the truth of the science of the matter, 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:17.500 that a pre-born baby is not a human, is not a potential human being, but a human being with 00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:22.660 great potential. Was anyone telling them that abortion is the decapitation, dismemberment, 00:16:22.740 --> 00:16:27.860 and disembowelment of a living human being? Was anyone sharing the truth? Was anyone coming 00:16:27.860 --> 00:16:31.800 alongside of them? Was this Christ's Parenthood Center was? And it was my privilege to get 00:16:31.800 --> 00:16:36.220 to work with them. But through working with them, I saw, this is, this is not just something 00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:40.899 happening in some other person's community. It's in our churches, it's in our families, 00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:45.899 and we need to be there both to embrace those who've been harmed by abortion, who've, who have 00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:52.180 given up their children to abortion, and also to do all that we can to stand for the 100,000 00:16:52.179 --> 00:17:00.539 babies who are aborted every single year. 100,000 babies killed every single year in our country. 00:17:01.059 --> 00:17:05.299 And so many of those who are giving their children up to abortion, they're not doing it because of, 00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:11.899 of, of, like, of, of, of, like, of hatred, or, like, they, not even because they think they're, 00:17:11.899 --> 00:17:17.480 they're okay with killing. No, they've been sold lies. And we have the truth. We should speak it. 00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:21.579 We should speak it out. We should shout it from the rooftops with love, with kindness, 00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:28.380 and with compassion. But we must not be silent. We mustn't be silent. Proverbs 24, verse 11 says, 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:35.819 Rescue those who are being taken away to death. Hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. 00:17:36.700 --> 00:17:40.099 If you say, behold, we didn't know this. We didn't know they were stumbling to the slaughter. 00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:44.900 Does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it? 00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:49.960 And will he not repay man according to his work? Right here, God is not saying, 00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:55.840 simply, make sure that you're not leading those innocent lives to the slaughter. He's saying, 00:17:56.019 --> 00:18:00.120 rescue those who are being led to the slaughter. Hold them back who are being destroyed. 00:18:01.840 --> 00:18:09.500 He's saying, I care about them so much. And, and you are, as my people, to be joining me in what I'm doing, 00:18:09.500 --> 00:18:18.440 that you are required to go help rescue them. Are you and I rescuing the innocent in Canada? Are we part of that? 00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:25.039 A great place to start, if you don't know how to be part of that, is, is, is start by just being an intercessor. 00:18:25.380 --> 00:18:29.700 Take time every day. When I was, when I was a little kid, before going to that Christ's Prensing Center, 00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:32.940 my sister and I, we just started praying. We were little kids, just praying every night before our bedtime. 00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:40.740 Just praying, God, please, please come alongside those women who are in a tough situation, situation right now. 00:18:40.980 --> 00:18:48.180 We're thinking of abortion and help them choose to keep their child. And Lord, please remember the silent screams of these babies. 00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:51.960 Please come through for them. Bless those organizations. We're just little kids praying. 00:18:52.840 --> 00:18:57.120 The Bible says many, in Proverbs 28, many men seek the face of the ruler, but from the Lord comes justice. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:02.099 And so as we look to God in prayer, we are, we're doing battle. We're helping rescue. We are. 00:19:02.619 --> 00:19:06.979 And then I also recommend, get involved by volunteering or by giving money to those organizations, 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:11.819 whether it's regarding the First Nations or whether it's regarding human trafficking or it's about abortion. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:15.599 Let us be those who are rescuing those who are being led to the slaughter, 00:19:15.779 --> 00:19:21.459 rescuing those who are being trampled on, who rescue those and giving, making space to give voice to those who are being marginalized. 00:19:21.460 --> 00:19:27.259 This isn't like icing on the cake of Christianity. 00:19:27.539 --> 00:19:33.319 This is what it means to be living life with Jesus, to be a follower and a believer of him. 00:19:35.819 --> 00:19:39.440 That's the first category he's talking about, to stand up for justice. 00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:41.960 And then he turns his attention to this. 00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:47.100 A man, in verse 7, a man and a father go into the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned. 00:19:47.099 --> 00:19:51.359 Like, Amos is speaking to the people of Israel, God's chosen people, saying, 00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:55.359 you are being sexually immoral and you need to stop. 00:19:56.879 --> 00:19:59.799 Are we being sexually immoral? That's a question worth asking. 00:20:01.939 --> 00:20:07.779 Statistics show us about 90% of guys in Canada, and the same numbers are true outside of the church and inside the church, 00:20:07.980 --> 00:20:08.799 are looking at pornography. 00:20:09.059 --> 00:20:12.199 About 30% of women today are looking at pornography. 00:20:13.299 --> 00:20:16.059 That's lust. Jesus said lust. It's committing adultery. 00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:17.579 Yeah, we're being sexually immoral. 00:20:18.339 --> 00:20:20.079 It gets even more intense than that. 00:20:20.619 --> 00:20:25.740 A third of girls and one sixth of boys are sexually abused by their 18th birthday. 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:28.759 Sexual abuse is massively rampant in Canada. 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:32.000 It's true outside of the church and it's true within the church. 00:20:32.919 --> 00:20:36.539 I guarantee you, we have more than three girls here, we have more than six guys here. 00:20:36.879 --> 00:20:40.179 Some of us, girls and guys, have been sexually abused, for sure, within our church. 00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:50.640 And 95% of sexual abusers are either the family or friends or trusted people to that person who was abused. 00:20:50.779 --> 00:20:51.840 They're the one who abused it. 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:56.039 Which means if in every church we have been sexually abused, 00:20:56.440 --> 00:21:02.980 then in many churches and many communities, there are those who have or are doing sexual abuse. 00:21:02.980 --> 00:21:05.299 We're broken people. 00:21:06.360 --> 00:21:09.980 And in case for a moment you're just like, oh yeah, that must be true in the other person's... 00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:16.720 So much of the best academic research today regarding pornography and sexual abuse 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:21.519 shows that so much of this mainstream porn is filmed sexual abuse. 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:25.299 88% of mainstream porn contains physical aggression. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:28.160 And 49% contain verbal aggression. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:32.860 Now, physical aggression, sexual physical aggression is a crime. 00:21:34.660 --> 00:21:38.620 And when that stuff is filmed, that's not people acting out crime. 00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:40.279 That's people committing crime. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:45.259 And so porn, if you're watching porn, you're actually watching the evidence of a crime scene. 00:21:47.560 --> 00:21:52.320 If you're watching porn, you are actually, by those websites getting those hits, 00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:56.259 by them getting more views, the people running that stuff are getting more money. 00:21:56.259 --> 00:22:00.259 So that means if you're watching porn, you're actually giving money to, 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:02.000 that you might not be giving your money to, 00:22:02.099 --> 00:22:04.379 but you're ensuring that they're getting money from the advertising, 00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:10.240 these organizations that are filming people being sexually abused and uploading it to the internet. 00:22:11.940 --> 00:22:13.720 This should not be the case. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:18.119 What is one of the most practical ways we can fight for justice, 00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:20.240 that we can fight against sexual abuse in Canada? 00:22:20.859 --> 00:22:24.700 By becoming free of porn and by helping those around us become free of pornography. 00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:28.860 And in case you think, oh, maybe you talk about this, 00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:30.460 you and George talk about it too much from the front, 00:22:31.319 --> 00:22:33.539 when it's 90% of guys and 30% of girls, 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:35.840 this is something affecting every one of our lives. 00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:39.640 And even as it's so addictive and itself is an enslavement, 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:42.080 he who the sun sets free is free indeed. 00:22:42.340 --> 00:22:45.059 And there truly is power to find freedom in the gospel, 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:47.620 not in isolation, but in community. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:50.819 And so I want to invite you, if you are a girl or a guy struggling with porn, 00:22:50.819 --> 00:22:54.000 come talk to George, come talk to Shirley, come talk to me, 00:22:54.200 --> 00:22:56.480 and we would love to help you find freedom. 00:22:57.240 --> 00:22:59.259 He who the sun sets free is free indeed. 00:23:00.619 --> 00:23:03.980 The third thing that God through Amos addresses 00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:07.039 is that the people are making, 00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:10.799 the people are drinking wine lying down by the altars, 00:23:10.899 --> 00:23:12.259 by where they worship God, 00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:14.960 and they're doing it, they're treating it profanely. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:16.240 They're treating God with profanity. 00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:18.779 And when we think of someone speaking profanity, 00:23:18.940 --> 00:23:21.259 we tend to think of someone like cussing a bunch, 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:22.660 or maybe taking God's name in vain. 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:24.039 Maybe they're saying like, oh my God, 00:23:24.140 --> 00:23:26.079 but they're not saying a prayer. 00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:29.759 But that's not actually what the word profanity means. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.480 The Hebrew word for profanity, 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:33.539 which I don't actually know how to pronounce, 00:23:34.680 --> 00:23:36.140 it means to treat as common. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:40.099 God is saying that he's ready to pour out 00:23:40.099 --> 00:23:42.259 his judgment upon his own people 00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:45.700 because they're treating God as if he's just common. 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:48.359 How do you and I do that? 00:23:48.900 --> 00:23:50.660 Well, let me count the ways. 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.200 There are so many different ways, 00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:53.380 and we're not gonna count them. 00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:55.980 But when you and I are at work, 00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:57.640 when you and I are at school, 00:23:57.740 --> 00:23:59.299 we're at work with our family or friends, 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:01.980 and there is a moral decision to make, 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:03.700 or there's a risk to take, 00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:05.900 or even when there's that tug in your heart 00:24:05.900 --> 00:24:07.799 to go share the gospel with someone, 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:09.900 or there is something to take a risk, 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:11.700 or maybe you just lied to your colleague 00:24:11.700 --> 00:24:12.680 and all of a sudden you're like, 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:13.579 oh, I shouldn't have done that. 00:24:13.579 --> 00:24:14.059 And you have that, 00:24:14.419 --> 00:24:15.480 and you really know, 00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:16.839 you gotta apologize for it, 00:24:16.839 --> 00:24:18.240 or whatever it is that you know 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:20.099 that God's not just asking, 00:24:20.199 --> 00:24:21.539 but really requiring us to do, 00:24:21.619 --> 00:24:22.439 and inviting us to do, 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.000 and all of that. 00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:24.000 And you and I are just like, 00:24:24.039 --> 00:24:25.059 mm, not gonna do. 00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:26.039 Not gonna do. 00:24:26.259 --> 00:24:27.599 You and I are acting as if God 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:28.659 isn't actually God. 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:30.619 We're acting as if God isn't actually 00:24:30.619 --> 00:24:32.399 the one who has all power, 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:34.279 and is able to come through for us, 00:24:34.299 --> 00:24:35.299 and be there for us, 00:24:35.339 --> 00:24:36.460 and strengthen us, 00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:38.519 and help us to do the right thing. 00:24:38.639 --> 00:24:39.779 And you and I are just treating him 00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:41.420 as if he's just a bro. 00:24:41.539 --> 00:24:42.819 We're treating him as if he's common. 00:24:43.660 --> 00:24:45.220 When you and I instead actually 00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:46.740 take that step of faith, 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:48.319 and step out to evangelize, 00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:50.359 just like we know he's calling us to do, 00:24:50.420 --> 00:24:51.879 or where you and I choose to take 00:24:51.879 --> 00:24:53.440 the step of faith and apologize, 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.519 or we have lied to someone, 00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:57.200 or where you and I quit that job 00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:59.200 in order to do the thing God's calling us to. 00:24:59.240 --> 00:25:00.639 When you and I live a life 00:25:00.639 --> 00:25:03.359 that's treating God as if God really is God, 00:25:03.420 --> 00:25:04.000 because he is, 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:05.480 we're not treating him as profane, 00:25:05.539 --> 00:25:06.259 as common anymore. 00:25:06.259 --> 00:25:08.519 We're treating him as if he is who he really is. 00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:11.640 And so this past week, 00:25:11.660 --> 00:25:12.079 I've just been asking, 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:13.319 God, show me, search me, 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:15.720 and show me how am I treating you 00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:16.940 as if you're just another, eh. 00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:18.579 How am I treating you as if you're just common? 00:25:19.079 --> 00:25:22.220 Help me to live my life as worship, 00:25:22.339 --> 00:25:24.640 live my life in light of who you really are, 00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:26.960 in every part of my life. 00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:30.579 And then when you jump down, 00:25:30.660 --> 00:25:31.839 and in verse 14 he says, 00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:34.500 but you made the Nazarites drink wine, 00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:36.460 the command of the prophets saying, 00:25:36.539 --> 00:25:37.420 you shall not prophesy. 00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:39.539 The Nazarites are not those from Nazarene, 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:41.279 rather the Nazarites were these people 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:42.420 who would make this promise 00:25:42.420 --> 00:25:43.779 of the commitment to God, 00:25:44.140 --> 00:25:46.240 they'd make a vow to not cut their hair, 00:25:46.359 --> 00:25:47.240 to not drink wine, 00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:48.640 a few different things like that. 00:25:49.539 --> 00:25:50.240 And we're Anglicans, 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:50.839 we drink wine, 00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:51.940 we don't make promises not to, 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:52.740 generally speaking, 00:25:52.900 --> 00:25:54.299 and I see a lot of us cut our hair, 00:25:54.380 --> 00:25:55.240 so we're not making that vow. 00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:56.400 I don't think a lot of us 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:57.819 are breaking the Nazarite vow. 00:25:57.900 --> 00:25:58.599 So we've been asking God, 00:25:58.599 --> 00:25:59.400 God, show me, 00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:00.319 show our church, 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:01.119 in your kindness, 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:01.759 show us, 00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:03.259 what are vows that we're making, 00:26:03.259 --> 00:26:04.279 that we're not following through on, 00:26:04.299 --> 00:26:04.859 that we're breaking? 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:07.500 I think one obvious answer is, 00:26:07.619 --> 00:26:08.839 is our marriage vows. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.240 You know, 00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:11.619 the divorce right outside, 00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:12.279 inside the church 00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:13.519 is something like 30%, 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:15.000 one third of us. 00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:17.339 We're making these vows 00:26:17.339 --> 00:26:18.559 in the presence of God, 00:26:18.660 --> 00:26:19.879 and then we're breaking them. 00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:22.700 And God is saying, 00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:24.099 okay, 00:26:24.220 --> 00:26:25.259 everyone around you is doing this, 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:26.079 you are my people, 00:26:26.259 --> 00:26:27.559 you are not to do this. 00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:28.819 You're to be faithful. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:31.180 What other vows do we make? 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:32.060 Well, 00:26:32.360 --> 00:26:33.860 our baptism and confirmation, 00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:34.580 we're saying, 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:34.799 God, 00:26:34.860 --> 00:26:35.620 I am yours. 00:26:36.820 --> 00:26:37.400 I don't know about you, 00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:38.360 I've broken that vow. 00:26:39.320 --> 00:26:39.799 We're saying, 00:26:39.860 --> 00:26:40.019 God, 00:26:40.039 --> 00:26:40.779 I'm going to live for you, 00:26:40.840 --> 00:26:41.779 I've broken that vow. 00:26:42.580 --> 00:26:43.200 And God is saying, 00:26:43.340 --> 00:26:44.420 don't break these vows 00:26:44.420 --> 00:26:45.100 you've made to me 00:26:45.100 --> 00:26:45.840 of commitment. 00:26:46.460 --> 00:26:47.460 Don't break these vows 00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:48.160 that you've surrendered, 00:26:48.220 --> 00:26:48.720 like the Nazarites, 00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:49.920 surrendered your life to me. 00:26:50.080 --> 00:26:50.840 I'm going to live life, 00:26:50.940 --> 00:26:51.920 not for myself anymore, 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:52.980 but for God 00:26:52.980 --> 00:26:54.080 and in his life. 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:55.200 And he's saying, 00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:56.720 you're breaking your vow. 00:26:57.299 --> 00:26:57.960 Return to me. 00:26:57.960 --> 00:27:01.319 In the midst of all this stuff, 00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:01.720 God, 00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:03.319 it just kind of interrupts himself 00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:03.940 in a sense. 00:27:04.600 --> 00:27:05.400 And in verse nine, 00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:06.120 yet it was I 00:27:06.120 --> 00:27:07.299 who destroyed the Amorite 00:27:07.299 --> 00:27:07.960 before them, 00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:08.880 whose height was like 00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:09.500 the height of the cedars. 00:27:09.600 --> 00:27:09.900 God's saying, 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:10.680 look, 00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:11.779 in the midst of all this, 00:27:11.819 --> 00:27:12.940 God kind of interrupts himself 00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:13.279 and says, 00:27:13.660 --> 00:27:16.100 I delivered you guys. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:16.860 I brought you 00:27:16.860 --> 00:27:17.720 into the land of Israel. 00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:18.539 I delivered you 00:27:18.539 --> 00:27:19.160 from your enemies. 00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:20.319 And they were giants. 00:27:21.120 --> 00:27:22.000 And in saying this, 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:22.380 he's saying like, 00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:22.840 you, 00:27:22.980 --> 00:27:24.299 you think you guys 00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:24.900 delivered that? 00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:26.100 You think you delivered yourselves? 00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:26.299 No, 00:27:26.360 --> 00:27:27.539 I did this for you. 00:27:28.819 --> 00:27:29.220 Sorry, 00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:30.160 I can't help you hear that, 00:27:30.259 --> 00:27:31.539 but say that without hearing 00:27:31.539 --> 00:27:33.180 Julian Smith's voice in my head. 00:27:33.579 --> 00:27:33.840 You know, 00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:35.100 but I did this for you. 00:27:35.180 --> 00:27:36.360 I made this for you. 00:27:37.059 --> 00:27:37.279 And, 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:39.340 and he, 00:27:39.579 --> 00:27:39.980 there's, 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:41.299 there's such power 00:27:41.299 --> 00:27:42.880 in our returning our attention 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:43.620 to that 00:27:43.620 --> 00:27:44.660 and remembering that. 00:27:45.340 --> 00:27:45.740 First, 00:27:45.740 --> 00:27:46.400 there's a sense 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:46.980 in which God's saying, 00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:48.259 these guys were huge. 00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:49.940 These guys were strong. 00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:50.860 And these guys 00:27:50.860 --> 00:27:51.740 treated me with profanity. 00:27:53.000 --> 00:27:53.220 They, 00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:54.860 they destroyed the innocent. 00:27:54.980 --> 00:27:56.000 They trampled the poor. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:56.680 Uh, 00:27:56.680 --> 00:27:57.380 they, 00:27:57.480 --> 00:27:58.420 they were not being faithful. 00:27:58.779 --> 00:27:59.700 I drove them out. 00:27:59.779 --> 00:28:00.420 They were mighty. 00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:01.180 You guys 00:28:01.180 --> 00:28:03.259 are not giants. 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:03.700 You got, 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:05.079 I can do the same to you. 00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:07.200 But I think it's more than that. 00:28:07.579 --> 00:28:08.980 I think God is reminding them, 00:28:09.099 --> 00:28:09.440 look, 00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:11.059 look at who, 00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:12.680 look at who you're walking away from. 00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:14.660 Look at who you're walking away from. 00:28:14.859 --> 00:28:15.980 I'm the deliverer. 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:16.880 I'm the liberator. 00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:18.099 I'm the freedom fighter. 00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:19.160 I am your champion. 00:28:20.140 --> 00:28:21.440 And you guys are just settling 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:22.960 for something so much less. 00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:24.800 Why are you settling? 00:28:24.840 --> 00:28:25.519 I made you for, 00:28:25.600 --> 00:28:27.080 I made you for justice. 00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:29.140 I made you for faithfulness. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:30.860 I made you for purity. 00:28:31.040 --> 00:28:31.259 And yet, 00:28:32.080 --> 00:28:32.300 and, 00:28:32.340 --> 00:28:32.500 and, 00:28:32.500 --> 00:28:32.960 and look, 00:28:33.060 --> 00:28:33.380 I am, 00:28:33.580 --> 00:28:33.779 like, 00:28:33.860 --> 00:28:35.200 I'm the one that did this for you. 00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:35.640 And you're just, 00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:37.500 you're treating me as if I'm common. 00:28:38.660 --> 00:28:39.460 And God isn't taking, 00:28:39.540 --> 00:28:39.640 like, 00:28:39.660 --> 00:28:40.560 as some personal slight, 00:28:40.620 --> 00:28:40.740 like, 00:28:40.840 --> 00:28:41.100 oh, 00:28:41.580 --> 00:28:41.880 why, 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:42.880 why don't you love me? 00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:43.200 No. 00:28:43.420 --> 00:28:45.180 God cares about them so deeply. 00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:47.360 And he wants them to be living this life 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:48.879 in the fullness of the justice 00:28:48.879 --> 00:28:49.579 and the purity 00:28:49.579 --> 00:28:50.419 and the wholeness 00:28:50.419 --> 00:28:51.379 that he made them for. 00:28:51.959 --> 00:28:52.500 Not only that, 00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:53.759 but God cares so much 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.799 about the broken 00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:55.500 and the marginalized 00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:56.179 and the forgotten. 00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:56.559 He's saying, 00:28:56.819 --> 00:28:57.039 guys, 00:28:57.159 --> 00:28:58.559 join me in caring for them. 00:29:00.859 --> 00:29:02.099 And I believe that God 00:29:02.099 --> 00:29:02.959 is interrupting himself 00:29:02.959 --> 00:29:03.559 in the midst of this 00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:04.179 to share this, 00:29:04.439 --> 00:29:04.639 saying, 00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:04.979 look, 00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:05.619 remember, 00:29:06.419 --> 00:29:07.259 turn to me. 00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:08.439 He's saying, 00:29:08.479 --> 00:29:09.839 I'm going to pour out judgment on you 00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:10.919 just like I did the people 00:29:10.919 --> 00:29:12.159 that I drove out for you. 00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:12.419 But, 00:29:13.719 --> 00:29:14.619 remember me, 00:29:14.699 --> 00:29:15.459 turn to me. 00:29:15.460 --> 00:29:18.360 We're so like 00:29:18.360 --> 00:29:19.340 the people of Israel, 00:29:19.539 --> 00:29:21.299 perhaps in some ways 00:29:21.299 --> 00:29:22.840 even more broken. 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:23.880 You know, 00:29:23.960 --> 00:29:24.799 the people of Israel 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:25.620 began to copy 00:29:25.620 --> 00:29:26.640 their neighboring nations 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:27.620 in the practice 00:29:27.620 --> 00:29:29.120 of trying to worship God 00:29:29.120 --> 00:29:31.039 by offering child sacrifice. 00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:32.079 They would take 00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:33.200 their beloved children 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:34.240 and put them 00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:35.519 on a stone, 00:29:35.600 --> 00:29:35.740 like, 00:29:35.779 --> 00:29:36.220 idol thing 00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:37.420 that would have arms like this 00:29:37.420 --> 00:29:38.640 and they'd light a fire 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:39.860 and they would kill their children 00:29:39.860 --> 00:29:40.579 through burning it. 00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:42.019 And growing up, 00:29:42.100 --> 00:29:42.860 when I came across that, 00:29:42.900 --> 00:29:43.620 I always thought they were doing that 00:29:43.620 --> 00:29:43.920 to, like, 00:29:44.180 --> 00:29:44.500 Moloch 00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:44.940 and all these, 00:29:45.099 --> 00:29:46.059 the pagan gods, 00:29:46.460 --> 00:29:47.859 but they actually started doing it 00:29:47.859 --> 00:29:49.099 as worship to Yahweh, 00:29:50.380 --> 00:29:51.000 to God. 00:29:52.700 --> 00:29:53.299 And in Ezekiel, 00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:53.680 God says, 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:55.079 the thought that you would do that 00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:56.920 never even entered my mind. 00:29:57.720 --> 00:29:58.079 Which, 00:29:58.180 --> 00:29:59.380 for an omniscient God, 00:29:59.420 --> 00:30:00.299 a God who knows all things, 00:30:00.460 --> 00:30:01.220 that's a trippy thought, 00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:02.259 it never even entered his mind, 00:30:02.299 --> 00:30:03.079 but he knows all things. 00:30:03.299 --> 00:30:04.960 It's so horrendous. 00:30:05.319 --> 00:30:05.859 But listen, 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:07.779 these people 00:30:07.779 --> 00:30:09.000 offered up their children 00:30:09.000 --> 00:30:10.019 as sacrifice. 00:30:10.599 --> 00:30:11.960 They killed their children 00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:13.039 because they believed 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:13.900 it was the most precious 00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:15.720 thing they could give God. 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:16.900 It's twisted 00:30:16.900 --> 00:30:18.160 to think that God 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:18.799 would want that, 00:30:19.120 --> 00:30:19.480 but they're like, 00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:19.840 what? 00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:22.059 In their brokenness, 00:30:22.140 --> 00:30:22.299 they're like, 00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:23.380 this is the most precious thing 00:30:23.380 --> 00:30:23.819 we can give. 00:30:23.860 --> 00:30:24.600 And so they were killing 00:30:24.600 --> 00:30:26.120 about a quarter of their children. 00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:28.019 In Canada, 00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:29.019 and in the church, 00:30:29.559 --> 00:30:30.579 we're killing a quarter 00:30:30.579 --> 00:30:31.680 of our babies, 00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:33.059 not because we think 00:30:33.059 --> 00:30:34.240 they're the most precious thing 00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:35.019 we can give God, 00:30:35.860 --> 00:30:36.620 but because we think 00:30:36.620 --> 00:30:37.100 they're worthless. 00:30:37.819 --> 00:30:38.920 We're not that different, 00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:40.400 but maybe even more broken. 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:42.519 But just as God spoke 00:30:42.519 --> 00:30:43.480 to the people of Israel, 00:30:43.580 --> 00:30:44.080 his people, 00:30:44.200 --> 00:30:44.380 saying, 00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:44.980 please, 00:30:45.340 --> 00:30:46.200 turn to me, 00:30:46.460 --> 00:30:47.300 your freedom fighter, 00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:47.980 your liberator, 00:30:48.060 --> 00:30:49.080 the one who delivered you. 00:30:49.560 --> 00:30:50.680 So I believe he speaks 00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:51.640 to the church today. 00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:53.080 If we will but listen, 00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:55.160 if we will but silence 00:30:55.160 --> 00:30:55.800 all the noise 00:30:55.800 --> 00:30:56.700 and the competing messages 00:30:56.700 --> 00:30:57.580 and the ones that don't care 00:30:57.580 --> 00:30:58.039 about that, 00:30:58.120 --> 00:31:00.700 and listen to his voice, 00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:01.519 not my voice, 00:31:02.320 --> 00:31:03.640 but listen to his call 00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:04.880 to join him 00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:06.080 in fighting for justice, 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:08.139 to truly be like 00:31:08.139 --> 00:31:09.119 a Martin Luther King Jr. 00:31:09.220 --> 00:31:09.539 who's saying, 00:31:09.659 --> 00:31:10.799 let justice roll down. 00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:12.679 A man who, 00:31:12.779 --> 00:31:13.939 he had a great career 00:31:13.939 --> 00:31:14.819 and good education 00:31:14.819 --> 00:31:16.519 and this past week 00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:17.539 is just reading his letters 00:31:17.539 --> 00:31:18.579 from the Birmingham jail. 00:31:20.119 --> 00:31:21.119 People who would be willing 00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:21.899 to go to jail 00:31:21.899 --> 00:31:24.159 because we're standing 00:31:24.159 --> 00:31:25.199 with the innocent. 00:31:25.879 --> 00:31:26.699 People who would be willing 00:31:26.699 --> 00:31:27.720 to shut up 00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:28.299 in order to let 00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:29.559 the marginalized voices 00:31:29.559 --> 00:31:30.139 actually, 00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:31.000 not tokenism, 00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:32.119 actually have a voice. 00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:33.519 How do we do that? 00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:34.500 I honestly don't know, 00:31:34.500 --> 00:31:35.779 but I'm hoping 00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:36.619 that we as a church 00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:37.900 can actually change, 00:31:37.980 --> 00:31:38.640 that we as a church 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:39.420 can actually figure 00:31:39.420 --> 00:31:40.400 this stuff together 00:31:40.400 --> 00:31:41.859 in the coming weeks 00:31:41.859 --> 00:31:43.059 through prayer 00:31:43.059 --> 00:31:44.059 and through conversations 00:31:44.059 --> 00:31:44.880 and through searching 00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:45.400 out the word 00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:46.400 and through listening 00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:47.460 to those who are marginalized. 00:31:50.740 --> 00:31:51.140 Generally, 00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:51.799 when a pastor 00:31:51.799 --> 00:31:52.759 like this is preached, 00:31:53.339 --> 00:31:54.380 we hear it, 00:31:55.160 --> 00:31:56.460 we hear how heavy it is, 00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:57.779 and then the pastor, 00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:58.680 the preacher says, 00:31:58.920 --> 00:31:59.700 but the gospel, 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:01.039 but the gospel, 00:32:01.559 --> 00:32:01.960 and then we're like, 00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:02.339 yes, 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:03.420 thank you God, 00:32:03.619 --> 00:32:04.299 we're forgiven, 00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:05.640 and then we can go 00:32:05.640 --> 00:32:06.420 and have communion 00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:06.940 and then go 00:32:06.940 --> 00:32:08.259 and eat some coffee 00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:08.680 and have some, 00:32:08.859 --> 00:32:09.759 drink some coffee 00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:10.519 and have some cookies 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:11.380 and go from here 00:32:11.380 --> 00:32:11.980 feeling good. 00:32:13.900 --> 00:32:16.140 But that's a broken, 00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:17.460 shallow, 00:32:18.099 --> 00:32:18.880 perverted version 00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:19.500 of the gospel. 00:32:19.900 --> 00:32:20.380 It is. 00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:22.099 It is. 00:32:25.779 --> 00:32:26.220 Absolutely. 00:32:26.940 --> 00:32:27.839 It's like Corinthians 3.18 00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:28.119 says, 00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:29.380 he who knew no sin, 00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:31.559 he who knew no profanity, 00:32:31.640 --> 00:32:33.140 he who knew no sexual abuse, 00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:34.160 sexual abusing, 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:36.140 he who knew no trampling 00:32:36.140 --> 00:32:36.660 on the poor, 00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.259 he who knew no sin 00:32:38.259 --> 00:32:39.140 became sin, 00:32:39.540 --> 00:32:40.259 that we might become 00:32:40.259 --> 00:32:41.420 the righteousness of God, 00:32:41.800 --> 00:32:43.200 that he who knew no porn 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:46.700 became porn, 00:32:46.880 --> 00:32:47.420 that we might become 00:32:47.420 --> 00:32:48.500 the righteousness of God, 00:32:49.120 --> 00:32:50.840 that he who knew no injustice, 00:32:51.420 --> 00:32:53.100 it became unjust, 00:32:53.180 --> 00:32:53.800 that we might become 00:32:53.800 --> 00:32:55.000 the righteousness of God. 00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:57.700 Jesus died, 00:32:58.120 --> 00:32:59.140 absolutely, 00:32:59.140 --> 00:33:00.600 to forgive us our sins 00:33:00.600 --> 00:33:01.160 and to cleanse us 00:33:01.160 --> 00:33:02.240 from all unrighteousness. 00:33:02.840 --> 00:33:03.200 Absolutely. 00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:05.400 But that's just 00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:06.660 the very beginning of it. 00:33:07.640 --> 00:33:08.700 In the Old Testament, 00:33:08.860 --> 00:33:09.300 they would offer, 00:33:09.360 --> 00:33:10.800 they were supposed to do 00:33:10.800 --> 00:33:12.120 sacrifices of their cows, 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:12.720 their bulls, 00:33:12.800 --> 00:33:13.500 their lambs, 00:33:13.540 --> 00:33:14.200 that kind of stuff, 00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:15.860 as worship to God. 00:33:16.540 --> 00:33:17.240 It's a sign that they 00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:17.920 belonged to him. 00:33:18.660 --> 00:33:19.680 They were part of his mission. 00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:21.240 Then in the New Testament, 00:33:21.360 --> 00:33:22.180 with Jesus dying, 00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:23.060 coming back to life, 00:33:23.400 --> 00:33:24.220 in Romans 12.1, 00:33:24.220 --> 00:33:25.400 it says that, 00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:26.799 in view of the mercy of God, 00:33:26.860 --> 00:33:27.579 in view of the gospel, 00:33:27.700 --> 00:33:28.640 in view of his forgiveness, 00:33:29.319 --> 00:33:30.360 offer your body 00:33:30.360 --> 00:33:31.559 as a living sacrifice. 00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:33.299 We so often treat it 00:33:33.299 --> 00:33:33.980 like in the Old Testament, 00:33:34.100 --> 00:33:35.740 God required cows and bulls. 00:33:35.779 --> 00:33:36.259 In the New Testament, 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:37.259 he just requires them, 00:33:37.360 --> 00:33:37.559 sorry. 00:33:38.980 --> 00:33:40.319 But it's absolutely true 00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:41.759 that because of the cross, 00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:44.299 we're freed from that, 00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:46.160 that never successful, 00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:47.299 never ending pursuit 00:33:47.299 --> 00:33:49.319 of trying to earn God's pleasure 00:33:49.319 --> 00:33:50.700 and trying to get right with him 00:33:50.700 --> 00:33:51.900 by our own doing 00:33:51.900 --> 00:33:52.839 and our own achieving. 00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:54.160 We're freed from that. 00:33:55.220 --> 00:33:55.819 Praise him. 00:33:57.220 --> 00:33:57.500 But then, 00:33:57.720 --> 00:33:58.339 that doesn't mean 00:33:58.339 --> 00:33:59.640 that we just then go just chill 00:33:59.640 --> 00:34:00.860 and just pursue 00:34:00.860 --> 00:34:01.759 our own comfort. 00:34:02.259 --> 00:34:02.380 No, 00:34:02.420 --> 00:34:03.079 in light of him 00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:04.700 freeing us from our shame 00:34:04.700 --> 00:34:05.920 and our guilt, 00:34:06.559 --> 00:34:07.079 in light of him 00:34:07.079 --> 00:34:08.300 making us alive in him, 00:34:08.639 --> 00:34:09.420 then we have the freedom 00:34:09.420 --> 00:34:10.720 not to try to earn his pleasure 00:34:10.720 --> 00:34:13.059 because he gives us his pleasure 00:34:13.059 --> 00:34:13.599 and his favor 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.199 and his blessing. 00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:15.960 In view of all of that, 00:34:16.340 --> 00:34:16.840 he then says, 00:34:17.139 --> 00:34:17.159 now, 00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:18.260 not offer, 00:34:18.340 --> 00:34:19.059 not just your cows, 00:34:19.240 --> 00:34:20.619 give your very bodies to me 00:34:20.619 --> 00:34:22.740 as a holy and living sacrifice. 00:34:23.659 --> 00:34:25.019 Not just the absence of sin, 00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:27.359 but the fullness of life in him, 00:34:27.419 --> 00:34:28.279 a life of justice 00:34:28.279 --> 00:34:29.199 and a life of purity 00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:30.719 and a life of helping bring healing 00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:31.559 to the broken heart 00:34:31.559 --> 00:34:32.559 and helping bring the gospel 00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:33.319 to those who don't have it 00:34:33.319 --> 00:34:35.619 to join him in that glorious adventure 00:34:35.619 --> 00:34:36.579 of the Christian walk, 00:34:36.959 --> 00:34:37.899 of the walk with Jesus. 00:34:37.900 --> 00:34:42.660 And so I think that I would be harming you 00:34:42.660 --> 00:34:44.360 if I was to preach these words 00:34:44.360 --> 00:34:44.740 and then say, 00:34:44.820 --> 00:34:45.420 because of the gospel, 00:34:45.579 --> 00:34:46.099 let's just go. 00:34:46.720 --> 00:34:47.660 But rather to say, 00:34:47.700 --> 00:34:48.660 because of the gospel, 00:34:49.160 --> 00:34:50.039 through the power 00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:52.340 that raised Jesus from the dead 00:34:52.340 --> 00:34:53.400 that is at work within us, 00:34:53.559 --> 00:34:54.639 we can change. 00:34:55.639 --> 00:34:57.300 Have you sexually abused someone? 00:34:57.660 --> 00:34:59.340 Well, you can find the courage in Jesus 00:34:59.340 --> 00:35:01.440 to come and talk with me about it. 00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:03.099 And we'll go to the police together. 00:35:04.240 --> 00:35:05.740 Have you been sexually abused and hurt? 00:35:05.739 --> 00:35:07.459 It's not that you've done something wrong to someone, 00:35:07.500 --> 00:35:08.699 but someone's done something wrong to you. 00:35:09.239 --> 00:35:11.179 There's healing in the blood of Jesus. 00:35:11.679 --> 00:35:13.559 I'd love to explore that with you. 00:35:14.399 --> 00:35:15.659 Are you contributing? 00:35:15.799 --> 00:35:17.199 Am I contributing to human trafficking? 00:35:17.359 --> 00:35:17.819 I am, 00:35:18.099 --> 00:35:20.059 by my very own shaving of my face. 00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:22.399 Can we come up with creative solutions 00:35:22.399 --> 00:35:24.000 to how to still be clean shaven 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:25.339 but not be perpetuating human trafficking? 00:35:25.459 --> 00:35:25.839 Absolutely. 00:35:26.859 --> 00:35:28.219 And this isn't icing on the cake. 00:35:28.219 --> 00:35:29.619 This is some of the meat 00:35:29.619 --> 00:35:31.019 of what it means to be a Christian, 00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:32.379 that we're following Jesus. 00:35:33.659 --> 00:35:34.959 Five times in the gospels, 00:35:34.960 --> 00:35:36.059 Jesus calls us to believe in him, 00:35:36.220 --> 00:35:37.179 but more than 20 times, 00:35:37.220 --> 00:35:38.240 he calls us to follow him. 00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:40.599 To be a Christian is to follow Jesus. 00:35:41.139 --> 00:35:42.460 And we don't find the strength to do that 00:35:42.460 --> 00:35:44.159 by promising ourselves that we'll do better. 00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:45.460 We don't find the strength to do that 00:35:45.460 --> 00:35:47.840 by just trying to try harder, 00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:50.340 but we do that as we open up our hearts 00:35:50.340 --> 00:35:51.400 afresh to the gospel. 00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:53.980 As we eat the bread and receive the wine, 00:35:54.380 --> 00:35:55.679 we're both receiving his forgiveness, 00:35:55.820 --> 00:35:57.740 but also his grace that empowers us 00:35:57.740 --> 00:35:59.579 to change, to transform. 00:35:59.880 --> 00:36:00.480 And it happens, 00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:02.860 the very word communion is in community. 00:36:02.860 --> 00:36:04.860 And so usually at the end of the service, 00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:06.700 in fact, I think every time 00:36:06.700 --> 00:36:07.400 at the end of the service, 00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:09.340 George or I or whoever's preaching, 00:36:09.460 --> 00:36:09.960 Jonathan Camere, 00:36:10.099 --> 00:36:11.400 will ask everyone to stand. 00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:13.280 I'm not going to do that today. 00:36:14.300 --> 00:36:14.860 Sometimes, though, 00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:16.220 we do need a physical response, 00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:17.420 some way to be able to say, 00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:20.120 God, we're not satisfied 00:36:20.120 --> 00:36:20.920 with the status quo. 00:36:21.039 --> 00:36:22.000 I want to change. 00:36:23.079 --> 00:36:24.000 And so I want to ask us all 00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:24.599 to stay seated, 00:36:24.660 --> 00:36:25.780 and I'm going to join you in it. 00:36:26.260 --> 00:36:27.280 I want us to just stay seated 00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:27.920 for a second 00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:29.300 and just take a moment. 00:36:29.300 --> 00:36:31.100 Just take a moment 00:36:31.100 --> 00:36:31.960 in the presence of God 00:36:31.960 --> 00:36:32.200 and say, 00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:32.600 God, 00:36:33.240 --> 00:36:34.680 is there any way 00:36:34.680 --> 00:36:36.060 at any of these four categories? 00:36:36.460 --> 00:36:37.760 The oppression of the poor, 00:36:37.940 --> 00:36:39.920 the marginalization of victims, 00:36:40.180 --> 00:36:41.120 any of that stuff 00:36:41.120 --> 00:36:42.240 is the first category. 00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:44.420 The second category is, 00:36:44.860 --> 00:36:47.400 is there a sexual sin in our life, 00:36:47.519 --> 00:36:48.240 that lust, 00:36:48.760 --> 00:36:50.180 or perpetuating abuse, 00:36:50.240 --> 00:36:51.039 or anything like that. 00:36:51.600 --> 00:36:52.539 The third category 00:36:52.539 --> 00:36:54.180 being the breaking of our vows. 00:36:54.179 --> 00:36:56.899 And the fourth being 00:36:56.899 --> 00:36:59.879 the treating of God 00:36:59.879 --> 00:37:00.579 with profanity 00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:01.199 as if he's common. 00:37:01.899 --> 00:37:03.079 If any one of those, 00:37:03.359 --> 00:37:04.199 or all four, 00:37:04.299 --> 00:37:05.139 anything like that, 00:37:05.500 --> 00:37:06.279 is something that there's 00:37:06.279 --> 00:37:07.460 conviction in your heart, 00:37:08.519 --> 00:37:09.980 and you want to change, 00:37:10.500 --> 00:37:11.739 I want to invite you to stand. 00:37:12.500 --> 00:37:13.219 To stand to say, 00:37:13.279 --> 00:37:15.000 God, I'm not just, 00:37:15.259 --> 00:37:16.019 I'm not satisfied 00:37:16.019 --> 00:37:16.639 to hear someone else 00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:17.339 talk about this. 00:37:17.639 --> 00:37:18.819 I want to change. 00:37:19.159 --> 00:37:20.299 I want to join you 00:37:20.299 --> 00:37:20.619 in that, 00:37:20.779 --> 00:37:21.659 afresh, 00:37:21.739 --> 00:37:22.440 in that life of, 00:37:22.440 --> 00:37:23.460 of bringing healing 00:37:23.460 --> 00:37:24.280 and wholeness 00:37:24.280 --> 00:37:25.760 and living life 00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:27.139 in light of the gospel. 00:37:28.099 --> 00:37:28.840 I want to invite us 00:37:28.840 --> 00:37:29.599 in a second 00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:30.340 to just stand. 00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:31.619 I want to just be quiet, 00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:33.099 quietly just pray 00:37:33.099 --> 00:37:33.659 on your own, 00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:34.360 in your own words, 00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:36.019 a prayer of commitment 00:37:36.019 --> 00:37:36.480 to the Lord, 00:37:36.539 --> 00:37:37.420 and then I'll pray to close. 00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:39.260 So, 00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:40.119 let me be, 00:37:40.639 --> 00:37:40.840 I'll, 00:37:41.679 --> 00:37:42.480 yeah, 00:37:42.599 --> 00:37:43.119 let's stand 00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:44.860 if that's you. 00:37:44.860 --> 00:37:53.760 God, 00:37:54.440 --> 00:38:00.720 I have sinned against you, 00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:02.940 and we have sinned against you. 00:38:04.079 --> 00:38:05.820 We have broken your call 00:38:05.820 --> 00:38:08.460 to care for the broken. 00:38:08.460 --> 00:38:11.300 you've broken 00:38:11.300 --> 00:38:12.800 your call 00:38:12.800 --> 00:38:13.559 to live a life 00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:15.119 of sexual integrity. 00:38:16.519 --> 00:38:17.960 We've broken our vows. 00:38:18.539 --> 00:38:19.480 We've treated you 00:38:19.480 --> 00:38:20.380 as if you're not God, 00:38:20.460 --> 00:38:20.820 but just 00:38:20.820 --> 00:38:22.300 a common thing. 00:38:24.220 --> 00:38:24.720 God, 00:38:24.780 --> 00:38:25.240 we're broken. 00:38:26.460 --> 00:38:27.659 We're bent out of shape. 00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:30.360 We cannot heal ourselves. 00:38:30.360 --> 00:38:34.660 I honestly don't know 00:38:34.660 --> 00:38:36.280 how to change 00:38:36.280 --> 00:38:36.960 some of these things 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:37.579 in my life. 00:38:38.780 --> 00:38:39.000 And Lord, 00:38:39.019 --> 00:38:39.620 I think that 00:38:39.620 --> 00:38:41.400 this is true 00:38:41.400 --> 00:38:42.260 for many of us. 00:38:43.180 --> 00:38:43.519 But God, 00:38:43.539 --> 00:38:44.440 we want to change. 00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:46.300 We thank you 00:38:46.300 --> 00:38:47.220 that even now, 00:38:47.660 --> 00:38:48.140 in the midst 00:38:48.140 --> 00:38:49.059 of our brokenness, 00:38:49.160 --> 00:38:49.920 in the midst of the reality 00:38:49.920 --> 00:38:50.640 of our frailty, 00:38:50.820 --> 00:38:52.140 and all of the stuff 00:38:52.140 --> 00:38:52.700 that we've done 00:38:52.700 --> 00:38:53.360 or not done, 00:38:55.480 --> 00:38:56.360 that we come to you 00:38:56.360 --> 00:38:57.260 not as 00:38:57.260 --> 00:38:58.559 your enemies 00:38:58.559 --> 00:38:59.579 or your adversaries, 00:38:59.579 --> 00:39:01.500 not even as 00:39:01.500 --> 00:39:02.779 abandoned lost children, 00:39:02.860 --> 00:39:03.119 but Lord, 00:39:03.159 --> 00:39:03.860 we come to you 00:39:03.860 --> 00:39:05.519 as your beloved children. 00:39:06.319 --> 00:39:07.219 We come to you 00:39:07.219 --> 00:39:08.380 as your adopted children. 00:39:09.319 --> 00:39:09.980 We thank you 00:39:09.980 --> 00:39:11.099 that you love us, 00:39:11.380 --> 00:39:12.679 that you have cleansed us 00:39:12.679 --> 00:39:13.619 from all our sin. 00:39:14.059 --> 00:39:14.699 We thank you 00:39:14.699 --> 00:39:16.500 that you have embraced us 00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:17.039 as your own. 00:39:17.719 --> 00:39:18.519 We thank you 00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:19.340 for the gospel. 00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:20.960 We thank you 00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:21.480 for the death 00:39:21.480 --> 00:39:22.779 and resurrection of Jesus 00:39:22.779 --> 00:39:23.719 that has made it possible 00:39:23.719 --> 00:39:25.119 for us to be in your presence now 00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:26.500 and enjoy your goodness. 00:39:28.199 --> 00:39:29.559 And we thank you 00:39:29.559 --> 00:39:31.099 that you have called us 00:39:31.099 --> 00:39:32.519 not just to believe in you 00:39:32.519 --> 00:39:33.920 but to live life with you. 00:39:33.980 --> 00:39:34.380 And so, Lord, 00:39:34.420 --> 00:39:35.099 we're asking you 00:39:35.099 --> 00:39:36.139 to help us to change 00:39:36.139 --> 00:39:36.880 as individuals, 00:39:37.139 --> 00:39:37.799 as families, 00:39:37.880 --> 00:39:38.579 and as a church. 00:39:39.059 --> 00:39:40.420 God, let us be a church. 00:39:40.559 --> 00:39:41.400 Make us a church. 00:39:41.619 --> 00:39:42.920 Make us a church 00:39:42.920 --> 00:39:47.380 that truly cares 00:39:47.380 --> 00:39:49.239 and helps rescue 00:39:49.239 --> 00:39:50.659 and gives voice 00:39:50.659 --> 00:39:51.539 to the oppressed 00:39:51.539 --> 00:39:52.739 and the poor 00:39:52.739 --> 00:39:53.500 and the marginalized. 00:39:53.980 --> 00:39:55.239 Make us a people 00:39:55.239 --> 00:39:56.119 who are walking 00:39:56.119 --> 00:39:57.320 in sexual integrity 00:39:57.320 --> 00:39:58.180 and freedom 00:39:58.180 --> 00:39:58.880 and purity in you. 00:39:58.960 --> 00:39:59.800 Make us a people 00:39:59.800 --> 00:40:00.800 who are faithful 00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:01.880 to our commitments 00:40:01.880 --> 00:40:03.220 and make us a people 00:40:03.220 --> 00:40:04.280 who are living life 00:40:04.280 --> 00:40:05.440 in light of who you are. 00:40:05.640 --> 00:40:06.280 You're not common. 00:40:07.440 --> 00:40:08.240 God, make us 00:40:08.240 --> 00:40:09.740 so fully alive in you. 00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:10.860 Lord, we believe 00:40:10.860 --> 00:40:12.559 that you can do this 00:40:12.559 --> 00:40:13.539 in our midst 00:40:13.539 --> 00:40:14.800 and we are committed. 00:40:15.160 --> 00:40:15.880 Lord, we're standing 00:40:15.880 --> 00:40:16.860 to say we are committed 00:40:17.380 --> 00:40:17.920 to you. 00:40:18.960 --> 00:40:19.980 So, it's not just that 00:40:19.980 --> 00:40:20.620 we're going to promise 00:40:20.620 --> 00:40:21.500 ourselves once again 00:40:21.500 --> 00:40:23.019 but we're asking you 00:40:23.019 --> 00:40:23.740 to be faithful 00:40:23.740 --> 00:40:24.720 to your promise 00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:25.980 that you will never 00:40:25.980 --> 00:40:27.339 leave us nor forsake us 00:40:27.339 --> 00:40:28.359 but instead 00:40:28.359 --> 00:40:29.579 you'll be with us 00:40:29.579 --> 00:40:32.480 to the very end 00:40:32.480 --> 00:40:32.879 of the age 00:40:32.879 --> 00:40:33.279 and that you 00:40:33.279 --> 00:40:34.159 who began a good work 00:40:34.159 --> 00:40:34.480 in us 00:40:34.480 --> 00:40:36.039 will see it to the end. 00:40:36.599 --> 00:40:37.819 To you be all honor 00:40:37.819 --> 00:40:39.079 and glory and power. 00:40:39.939 --> 00:40:40.839 In Jesus' name, 00:40:40.939 --> 00:40:41.079 Amen. 00:40:41.079 --> 00:40:41.279 Amen. 00:40:41.279 --> 00:40:41.359 Amen. 00:40:41.359 --> 00:40:41.379 Amen.